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Re: Hive near the house

I have some hives about fifty feet from the back door, the only problem that I have had is when I go into them pretty deep and really tick them off. They do not like for anyone to enter or exit through the door until they calm down.
So if you may be expecting company or the boss returns from the store and you have ticked the girls off, there may be some issues.

Re: Hive near the house

>How close to the house is too close, or does it not matter?

I have had hives 10 feet from the door (facing the wall so they fly up) with no issues. I've had them 100 yards from the door that turned vicious and you were not safe from stings 100 years away and out of sight... I would have a mitigation plan for what you will do if they get hot. Do you have another entrance to the house until they find the new location. Do you have another location where you can put them if they get hot?

>The only place I have is right next to my house, about 30 feet from the back door. The entrance will face away, but will there be any issues with this?

If you have a dog in your backyard will it bite anyone? Are there guarantees? You may have no issues. You may have issues.... If you get gentle bees odds are you won't have issues... but you should have a plan in case you do.

Re: Hive near the house

They are right!! The closer the better!!!!!Like they said make sure the entrance isn't facing the back door or you will be bumping into each other when they are flying to and fro.I like my entrances facing to the rising sun east and flightpath needs to be clear and uninterrupted.

Re: Hive near the house

Hmmmm. . . More than two hives are too much for our back yard. Too much traffic. I never considered putting a hive against the house with the entrance facing the house, which could force them up and out from the get go. Thank you, this may open up possibilities, especially since the eleven bird houses we have on half acre are all occupied (yes, it's late).

Re: Hive near the house

Mine are 20 feet from the house and I have 22 acres to play with. I like them in sight. In winter I look out of the kitchen winter and get exited when they fly. Meaning they are alive. ;-) Mine are facing south, which is away from the house. They do fly around the house, but spend more time down in the meadow.

Re: Hive near the house

And your water source to beehive flight path should not be a human walk-path. I found this out last year when it was hot, and the bees were constantly flying to the pond for water. Got downright dangerous to cross their path. Even though they weren't hot, just got run into a lot.

Gypsi

Stuck in Texas. Learning Permaculture in drought, guess I will teach permaculture in drought. The bees are still alive.

Re: Hive near the house

Originally Posted by Michael Bush

I would have a mitigation plan for what you will do if they get hot. Do you have another entrance to the house until they find the new location. Do you have another location where you can put them if they get hot?

That is excellent advice!! The bottom line is that bees are, despite our best wishes, not domesticated creatures and may show undesirable behavior at times. Will there be any issues? Nobody can predict this with absolute certainty, so think it through and be prepared to take action if they get hot.

Re: Hive near the house

Are there any small kids around? Kids are naturally curious and with a hive that close to your house, there could be problems. If not, just bee sure to face the hive toward some obstruction at least a foot to two feet away so they will go UP when they come out.

Re: Hive near the house

I've got 1 hive on a scale on the back porch - 3 feet from the back door - and 5 more within 15 feet of the door. Other than yellow spots on our cars - no problems - for over 2 years. This is also our primary entrance to the house. Good luck.